School Survival Guide: High School Edition
by sugarcandyaddiction
Summary: High school brings big changes for Ned and the gang, some of which they aren't so sure they can survive, and the biggest of which might very well end Ned and Moze's fairytale romance forever.  Takes place after show's end.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note**: I recently re-discovered Ned's Declassified on Netflix and rewatched the entire series, giving me so many ideas for fanfiction that I had to get at least one out of my system. I might post more to this story, hopefully if there's a lot of interest in seeing it continued.

**Note of warning**: I write a lot of fanfiction for childrens' shows but I have a tendency to take them in dark directions. I like to think I maintain a bit of the spirit of the show, however. Therefore, this story earns a tentative "T" rating with the possibility of being bumped to "M" depending on how certain scenes play out. Ned and the gang are in high school now kiddies, and, while it starts freshman year it will carry on throughout the entirety of high school, and they will be facing some adult situations like alchohol, sex, and drugs.

**Summary**: High school brings big changes for Ned and the gang, some of which they aren't so sure they can survive, and the biggest of which might end Ned and Moze's fairytale romance forever.

**Chapter 1:**

_Tip: High school changes everything, so be prepared for anything._

Moze rinsed her breakfast dish for the umpteenth time that morning before dumping more soap into the bright blue Scotch-brite sponge in her right hand and scrubbing it methodically once more. She looked entranced, watching the soap-suds build up on the glossy glass plate then drip into the sink, swirling down the drain with a rush of tap water thundering from the faucet. She barely registered her mother entering the kitchen and tentatively saying a 'good-morning, sweetheart'.

Only when her cellphone, sitting aside on the kitchen counter, vibrated and whistled a low-quality techno ringtone, did Moze finally put the dish down and shut off the water. She dried her hands on a hand towel draped from a hook over the sink, then flipped the phone open, smiling absently at the goofily grinning image of her caller on its LCD screen, and clicked 'answer'.

"Hey, Ned," she mumbled greeting.

"Morning, Moze," came the familiar chipper response.

Although there was an immediate comfort in hearing Ned's voice, Moze gave an involuntary inward flinch at his jubilance.

"Are you excited for today?" Ned asked.

Moze worried her bottom lip, flickered a quick glance at her mother pouring a bowel of bran flakes, and then quietly stammered, "Uh...sure…first day of high school. Totally amped."

There was a long pause on the other end of the line and Moze felt her heart seize. She closed her eyes and placed a hand on the counter for support. _Ned knows something is wrong_, she panicked as a pained expression flitted across her features_, and now he's going to ask me about it and I have no idea how to tell him._

"Yeah…no…I mean, yes. First day of high school. Right. That was what I was talking about. That and…uh…nothing else," Ned fumbled response, and then chuckling nervously, he questioned, "So…um…I was calling because, well, the bus is going to be here in about three minutes and I'm at the stop and you're not and I was just wondering…where are you?"

"Oh, son of a snapping turtle," Moze cursed, jumping a glance up at the overhead wall clock, its face confirming Ned's words. She was late. She hurried Ned off the phone, hissing, "I'll be there in a few," and hung up before hearing his response. She winced and mentally vowed to make it up to Ned later.

Moze darted out of the kitchen, fumbling to pull her sneakers on, her backpack already waiting by the door. She heard her mother's footfalls trailing behind her but choose to concentrate on tying her shoe laces, not so much as looking at her mother entering the foyer.

Moze's mother cleared her throat and carefully began, "Jennifer, sweetheart, about what we discussed last night-"

"Don't have time for that now, mom, I'm about to miss the bus," Moze snapped. Her mother fell silent and Moze peeked up at her. She was leaning against the wall, a cup of tea balanced on a palm, fingers of the opposite hand laced around the cup's dainty handle. She looked tired, hair still in curlers, light evidence of bags beneath her doe-brown eyes.

"Maybe you should stay home today…" her mother suggested.

"It's the first day," Moze muttered, agitated.

"Yes…but…given circumstances…" her mother responded, distantly noting, "Jen, it doesn't really matter-"

"It matters to me," Moze finished lacing her shoes and stood abruptly, strutting to the door and swinging her bag over her shoulder.

"Well…wait…stay a moment. I'll drive you. There are some things I want to talk-"

Moze spun round on heel and locked dark eyes with her mother.

"There's nothing else to talk about after last night," she growled. She put a hand to the doorknob and gave it a hard twist, dropping her eyes to the floor and turning her head from her mother, "Now, if you don't mind," she could hear the quiver in her own voice, cracking slightly as she spoke _his_ name, "Ned is waiting for me."

With that, Moze hastily exited the house and let the door click quietly shut behind her.

Moze barely reached the stop in time, catching the bus door before it swung fully shut. She clambered on and found Ned in the back saving her a seat with his backpack. She moved quickly down the aisle and he slipped his bag under the chair, sliding over so she could take a seat.

As soon as Moze's shimmering brown eyes found Ned's soft blue ones, and she felt the warmth of his shoulder pressed against her own, relief washed over Moze in droves and a smile easily replaced her morning's troubled expression.

"Hey," they greeted as one, causing their smiles to broaden. Their palms automatically slid together, fingers twining. Their faces inched towards one another, lips pining – lusting – for just one touch. Then, when they were close enough Moze could feel the heat of Ned's breath on her bottom lip, the bus kicked to life, slamming them both into the rock-hard, high back of their shared brown seat.

They laughed, their bodies jerking forward with less force when the bus driver settled into a steady speed, and rubbed the new sore spots, ears ringing, then Ned brushed a chaste kiss along Moze's jaw-line and all the blood instantly rushed to her head, making it feel light, so she lay it against his shoulder and sighed, reveling in the perfection of that one, simple moment.

Moze closed her eyes and lingered on happy thoughts. A year ago, if someone were to ask if she could see herself dating Ned Bigby, she would've laughed in their face. Ned had been her best friend since forever; they had been born and raised in houses that were right next to one another, they'd often shared a playpen as infants. They'd seen each other through every up and down, every trial and tribulation, from childhood to adulthood. They knew each other's secrets, their hopes, their dreams, their fears. A stronger friendship had never been forged, but that, as they'd both adamantly sworn time and again since hormones had started raging in the fourth grade, was all they were, 'just friends', and at the time, the idea of becoming anything more was enough to send them both running for the hills.

Ned readjusted himself slightly, settling against the back of their seat and Moze smiled, a smile of genuine content, when she felt the pressure of his head rest atop her own.

In first grade, Ned had been the first to call Moze, "Moze", in order to differentiate her from the other three Jennifers in their class. The endearing nickname was a play on her surname, Mosely, and it, standing out like a signal to the world that – at least to him – Jennifer Mosely was unique amongst all Jennifers, had stuck throughout the years. And even though a handful of others still referred to her as such, now whenever he spoke her nickname, it felt like it carried a different and deeper meaning: she wasn't just _a_ Jennifer, she was _his_ Jennifer.

"Hey, Moze?" Ned whispered, stirring Moze from her ruminations.

"Hm?" she hummed response.

"Why _were_ you so late this morning?" he questioned, and then feeling her tense against him, hastily added, probably to keep from sounding like the anxious boyfriend, "I just thought we'd agreed to meet at the stop early and go over our 'New Semester Lists'."

Moze squeezed her eyes more tightly shut, feeling the happy thoughts she'd been sorting through moments before flickering like candle flames and snuffing out in streams of gray-black smoke. Briefly, she tightened her grip on Ned's hand, and then she released it, straightening out their fingers and lining up their hands, lifting them slightly as her eyes cracked open, staring at their hands juxtaposed against one another. It was amazing how many years could go by before a person noticed how naturally her hand fit inside that of her best and closest friend.

Sometimes Moze felt that in that small physical contact she could sense everything about Ned, his emotions, his thoughts, sizzling through her like electric signals jolting across nerve endings in their fingertips.

Moze slid her fingers through his once more, dropping their hands atop her thigh, liking the weight of it. She could feel Ned's eyes on her, studying her, reading her like a book written in a language only a best friend could understand.

"Dishes," she lied through clenched teeth, "I was doing dishes."

Ned said nothing. Moze lifted her head slightly, looking up at him through lashes and loose brown strands of hair that had slipped out from behind her shoulder and formed a veil over her face. He knew she was lying, she could tell by his expression, and he was obviously confused by it – they rarely lied to one another, it was too hard when the other person could always tell – but she hurried to a new subject before he could prod further.

"So…did you come up with any good tips for the first day of high school?"

In kindergarten, after an unfortunate accident found him in the girls' bathroom and humiliated for life, Ned began a School Survival Guide using his own experiences to formulate tips for his fellow classmates at navigating the complicated world of academia. Most of his time was spent working on new tips for the guide, or dispensing those same tips to classmates. Because the guide was so important to him, it was always a surefire way to steer him off course in any conversation, and exactly as Moze hoped, Ned relaxed, smirking and shrugging good-naturedly.

"A few," he answered, "Mostly, I think the tips from first day sixth grade can be reapplied to high school. It can't be much different, right?"

Moze bit her bottom lip to keep it from trembling. Ned could already sense something amiss; she didn't need to give him confirmation.

"It's going to be a lot different," she mumbled. Ned snorted softly, bemused, and pulled Moze closer to him.

"Well, yeah, obviously it'll be different… for us," he remarked, "But we're ready for it. Remember?"

_Ready for it._

Moze nodded distantly, recollecting on the summer spent as Ned Bigby's official girlfriend. Hanging out nearly every minute of every day, chatting on the phone long hours into the night…actually, aside from the making out, long embraces, and hand holding, it was nothing out of the ordinary from every other previous summer. But the making out, long embraces, and hand holding had made the entire summer extraordinary and Moze had looked forward to testing their newfound romantic relationship out in the stressful halls of school. Her heart fluttered, and without thought, she lay a hand across her breast, furrowing her brow at a sudden sting in her eyes.

"Come on, Moze," Ned suddenly exclaimed, "You're so quiet. It's freaking me out! Where's your aggressive passion that I love so much…"

The bus hit a pothole and they both bounced up and Moze fell against Ned on the way down. Their eyes met and at that moment his words seemed to register: _that I love so much... _His eyes widened, his face paled.

"I mean…what I meant was…not to say that I love yo – oh, uh…not that…I don't…or that I do…or…_like_, I meant I _like_-"

"Oh will you just shut up," Moze interrupted Ned's hopeless scramble for a needless explanation. She relaxed against his slender chest, wrapping her arms around him, and pressed a firm, hot kiss to his mouth. He immediately settled into it, slipping his arm round her waist, pulling her closer. They'd gotten quite a lot of experience with this over the summer yet, surprisingly, it never seemed to get old.

People around them were making comments, hooting and hollering, but it wasn't until the bus jerked to a halt and the door opened with a loud 'WHOOSH', fellow students stampeding down the aisle to exit, that Ned and Moze broke apart, still somewhat dazed, and gazing dreamily into one another's eyes.

"Yeah," Ned spoke up, grinning boyishly, and sounding breathless, "I'd say we're ready."

Moze was certain she'd heard her heart shatter; she could definitely feel the shards ripping through her chest. She jerked away from Ned, spinning out to the aisle so that her back was to him, so that he couldn't see the tears forming in her eyes. _No, no, __**no**__, _she mentally berated herself, _not like this, not right now, do not do this here._

"Uh…Moze…are you-?"

"I gotta go," Moze suddenly shouted, keeping her voice terse so Ned wouldn't catch it waver, "To…er…the bathroom, before class. Now. Right now."

Moze bolted out of her seat, practically climbing over the students in front of her to jump off the bus and raced full-speed towards the school building, leaving a dazed and somewhat confused Ned behind on the bus.

0-0-0

Ned watched Moze sprint into the high school entrance from out an oil-smudged bus window pane. He couldn't understand how she'd still be so spry after that kiss, his legs felt like jell-o. He scowled at a few upperclassmen walking by, mocking him with comments like, "get a room", or "what a babe, why's she with you," and there was even one, "watch your back, Bigby" but that was from an old middle school bully, Billy Loomer, and Ned, still on cloud nine, couldn't be bothered to put any stock in that jerk's age-old threats.

When the bus was empty, the driver Mr. Kwest spun round in his seat and leveled an even warning glare on Ned, thickly matted blond strands of hair falling into his wizened face.

Ned smiled sheepishly in return.

"I…probably should…keep the…uh…PDAs to…um…a minimum?" he surmised.

Kwest nodded agreement.

"Not to say that I'm not thrilled you and the loud brunette have finally figured out your love for each other, but rules are rules, Ned," the kindly teacher explained, gesturing to said rules pinned on a giant board overhead. 'No Public Displays of Affection' was listed at number four under 'No food and drink', 'No pushing, shoving, hitting, or spitting', and 'Absolutely No spring coils strapped on your butt to allow maximum bounciness over potholes', and just above 'No Foul Language'.

"Yeah, I understa-" Ned did a double-take, his mouth unhinged a moment, "Er…uh…did you say…ulp…lo…? No, me, her…we're not ready for…it's too soon for…not to say that I don't…er or that I do…but…like, we _like _each other…a lot."

Kwest raised a brow and Ned slumped, grabbing his pack out from under the seat and, standing, slung it over his shoulder. He took a few hesitant steps towards the bus front and paused a seat behind Kwest. Ned glanced out the window at the high school, William H. Taft written across its front archway in bold black letters; the giant, foreign building seemed to loom over the parking lot. He tilted his head to peek at his old middle school, James K. Polk, across the street; warm, safe, familiar. Ned had every tip in the world ready, written, and at his fingertips for surviving middle school, but not a one for high school. It was literally a blank slate.

"Scared?" Kwest hazarded a guess. Ned swallowed hard.

"Maybe a teensy-weensy bit. Moze and I were supposed to walk in together but…" Ned trailed off, grimacing at how pathetic that admission sounded. Little Ned Bigby couldn't brave the halls of high school without his big, strong girlfriend to hold his hand.

"I understand. The first day of high school is very scary and it can be helpful to have a good friend – even better, a good girlfriend – with you for support," Kwest commented.

Ned grinned, nodding, lost in a swirl of thoughts and emotions, each lighter and fluffier than the last. It was the first day of a new school, high school, which meant he was older and more responsible, closer to adulthood. Adulthood meant more freedoms; like driving, and getting a part-time job. And, even better, this year he was starting the new semester with a girlfriend…and not just any girlfriend. Moze.

Thinking of Moze brought Ned's thoughts happily skipping back to summer. It had been amazing, walking down the street holding hands, snuggling in the movie theater, and kissing, kissing, and more kissing. Ah…kissing.

Ned was aware he was grinning goofily, but it didn't even occur to him to care. The fireworks that went off in his head got bigger and brighter every time he locked lips with his best friend. He was at a point where he couldn't even imagine what Moze and his relationship was like before he'd fallen in…lov-er, like, in _like_, with her.

Yeah, life couldn't get sweeter if Mat Hoffman walked up and handed Ned an autographed bike helmet.

"Too bad your girlfriend took off without you," Kwest pointed out, bringing Ned crash-landing back to earth.

"Yeah," Ned replied. He furrowed his brow, and added, "I don't know why she did that."

"You know, Ned, after all my years of experience with girls I've come to this realization: I know nothing about girls," Kwest responded, stroking his chin thoughtfully as he spoke, "I do, however, know this: high school changes everything."

Ned's eyes widened and his stomach dropped a few inches.

"Aren't you supposed to tell me that high school is no big deal and it's pretty much the same as middle school?" he demanded.

"But it is a big deal and it's not the same. Things are going to be a lot different."

Ned frowned, gripping his backpack straps and narrowing his eyes on the gangly bus driver.

"That's what Moze said," Ned noted, worry lining his usually cheerful features.

"And she was right," Kwest conceded, "Think about it, Ned. Last year, you were eighth graders, top of the food chain, veterans to the mystifying annals of education. This year, you're freshman, bottom of the food chain, and nothing more than wide-eyed, innocent, unsuspecting children."

Ned brightened a little, remarking, "That's not so different from fifth to sixth grade."

"Actually, it is," Kwest returned, "In the fifth to sixth grade transition, the only thing separating you from the top of the food chain – eighth grade – is age. In high school, there's a much more definitive line which separates the boys from the men."

Kwest locked eyes with Ned then gazed out the bus windshield into the vast student parking lot beyond. Ned followed his gaze.

"The car," they said in unison.

"In middle school, getting a girl and keeping her is like storming a kobold stronghold with a level twenty-five swordsman compared to high school," Kwest went on, and though the reference flew right over Ned's head, the meaning was all too clear, "Now you're competing with guys that can drive."

Kwest's eyes glossed over. He looked off in the distance, sniffled loudly, and let out a great sigh.

"My girlfriend left me for a guy with a car," he confessed, and then turning back to Ned, "And if you're not careful, you could lose your girlfriend to a guy with a car too."

"Moze isn't going to leave me for a guy with a car," Ned argued, though his small stutter suggested he wasn't entirely convinced, "She doesn't care about that kind of thing. And you saw that kiss, she's still completely interested in me. We're going to be fine and next year when I do have a driver's license; it won't even be a problem. Me and Moze are perfect, nothing could break us apart."

With that said, Ned marched from the bus towards the highschool. _Moze and I are perfect together, _he told himself, _and I can survive high school…I can survive anything with my two best friends by my side._

Speaking of his _two_ best friends, Ned furrowed his brow, where was Cookie?


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note**: Didn't look like a lot of people read last chapter...yet. I'm not surprised, this appears to be a dead fandom. Hopefully someone will take interest and review this story...if not, I'll just keep posting for my own amusement until I get bored.

**Real quick, a few things I forgot to mention last chapter:** (Just about) every chapter will begin with a "Tip", as a sort of homage to the show. Some will be ridiculously lame (like last chapters) but they all have something to do with what's going on in the story and more specifically, the chapter. These first few chapters might seem a bit...weird, I'm still feeling out the characters, trying to get their voices right and figuring out how to move them where I want them without making them seem too OOC. Some people might be wondering which characters will appear in the story, answer is simple, as many as I can work in (that includes whatever teachers I can make fit, and obviously, Gordie). A lot of people at this point are probably wondering what the heck is up with Moze, don't fret, you'll find out in the next couple chapters.

**Lastly**, there's a reason for why I write (almost) everything. If something seems wrong to you from the show or whatever, let me know in a review and if there's a reason for it I'll explain in a reply, and if it's genuinely a mistake on my part I'll fix it and be eternally grateful...or annoyed, which ever.

**Please read!**

* * *

><p>Chapter 2:<p>

_Tip: School relationships don't usually last long, so even the smallest milestone can be cause for celebration; so don't let the occasion pass you by unnoticed, because you never know when it'll all end._

Ned found Cookie hovering around the high school front entrance with the rest of the freshman who were waiting on middle school friends to arrive. Ned had given a few acquaintances from Polk, nervous about their first day in high school, the same tip he'd hoped to use that day with Moze: enter the building with a friend or two, there's safety in numbers and knowing that you're with others that share your fear actually helps ease it. From the looks of things, the tip got passed around.

Cookie was flanked by Martin Qwerly, a kid who could literally talk a person to death, and Coconut Head, a boy who earned his unfortunate nickname in the sixth grade due to an oddly shaped haircut, one he seemed to decide to bring with him to high school. Both were good friends from Polk and it was clear they planned on accompanying Cookie into the school as their "support group". They all perked when they saw Ned approaching and Ned would have been happy to see them if his mind weren't plagued with nagging little doubts.

As soon as he was close enough, Ned began to ramble, "Moze isn't the type of girl that would dump me for a guy with a car, is she? She doesn't even like cars."

"Moze likes cars," Cookie un-helpfully pointed out, his brow crumpled in confusion.

"It's true! She does," Ned moaned, "She's going to dump me, because I'm too young to drive and then she's going to find an older boyfriend that has a car, and…is…taller. That's probably where she ran off to…to find older, taller guys. She's probably in the parking lot ogling sophomore boys right now, as we speak."

Martin and Coconut Head exchanged a look.

"I think I should…" Martin excused himself as Coconut Head stammered, "My homeroom is right this…"

They both took off in opposite directions. Cookie darted his head back and forth to watch his retreating friends, then shrugged nonchalant and turned his attention back to Ned. He plopped a hand on Ned's shoulder to quiet the ranting tipster.

"Moze isn't going to dump you," Cookie said, sounding more automated than reassuring, and then he perked and exclaimed, "And now that that's settled, let's focus on me. This year, my goal is to get Lisa Zemo to go out with me. And _you_," Cookie pointed both his index fingers Ned's direction, "…are going to help."

"I thought you already went out with Lisa Zemo," Ned replied, perking a brow. Though disconcerting thoughts still tumbled round his head, his interest was slightly piqued by his friend's statements.

"That was only once and it was pizza with you and Moze so it didn't feel right making any big moves," Cookie whined dramatically, "And then I didn't see her again for the rest of the summer," he paused and calmly explained, "She went on vacation with her family, somewhere in the woods without any technology."

Ned rolled his eyes but remained silent.

"But now that she's back in town, I have a second chance to do things right. I'm going to get her to go out with me…again, but this time, I'll ask her to be my girlfriend, and give her a token of my love," Cookie declared. He tugged a battered looking microchip from out of his pocket and held it up as though a precious gemstone, "This is the microprocessor chip from my very first successful robot build in the second grade. It means a lot to me and I want Lisa to have it."

Ned nodded respectfully. He didn't know if girls really liked receiving micro-whatevers but it was definitely a gift a girl like Lisa would appreciate.

Suddenly finding himself swept up in Cookie's heartfelt exuberance, Ned plastered on a toothy grin and announced, "And my goal is to surprise Moze tonight with the biggest bash _ever_ in celebration of our three-month-a-versary, so that she remembers how perfect we are for each other, and so I can give her these."

He pulled out a tiny ring box from his pocket and flipped the top open. Cookie's jaw dropped.

The two rings inside were identical, silver braided bands that formed a heart in the center. On the sides of each heart were inlaid two very tiny clear-colored stones. Though simple in design, the promise rings obviously cost a pretty penny.

"They're sterling silver – which according to the clerk, girls really like– and those are real diamonds. I mowed a lot of lawns this summer to save up for these rings. And I painted a shed," Ned proudly exclaimed.

Mowing one lawn over the summer was an impressive feat for Ned, a habitual procrastinator and laze-about, but mowing multiple lawns and painting a whole shed, all so he could purchase a couple sappy promise rings, was akin to a miracle. Ned didn't do those kinds of things and Moze knew it, so he knew that she would understand the meaning of such a seemingly small gesture to its fullest extent.

"Also, they're engraved," Ned added, still grinning ear to ear.

After a few seconds of silence passed, Ned darted a nervous look to his still gaping friend. He fidgeted with the box. His face fell.

"It's too much, isn't it? Too much…_too soon_. Just like that letter I wrote Suzie in the eighth grade. What is wrong with me? Why do I move so fast with girls? If I give these to Moze, she'll freak out and dump me, won't she?"

He snapped the box closed and Cookie blinked, as though awoken from a trance.

"Ned, calm down," Cookie said, matter-of-factly, "You and Moze have been going out for three months, it took you guys two years to sort out your feelings for each other, and you've been best friends your entire lives. Too soon? I think you're lucky it's not too late."

Ned didn't look entirely convinced. He sighed and tucked the box securely back into his pocket.

"You're right," he agreed, half-heartedly, and then he shook his head and stated more firmly, "You're absolutely right. Thanks, Cook. Now, I have to get to work on the party plans. You sent out the invitations a week ago, right?"

"Yup. I mailed them to all our friends from last year," Cookie answered, "I can get you a list of everyone who RSVP'ed by lunchtime."

"Great," Ned exclaimed, clapping his hands together, "But there's still a lot of other things left to do before that final bell rings. Cookie, I need you to find Moze and keep her distracted today, while I finish up with the rest of the party plans."

_When this is over_, Ned thought, _I'm going to owe so many favors… Moze Is definitely worth it though_.

"But…what about Lisa?" Cookie pouted, furrowing his brow in concern.

Ned felt bad for the guy, he really did. Cookie had spent all of eighth grade trying to get closer to Lisa but always found himself foiled by the posse of bachelors that followed her around like gosling to their mother goose. When it seemed his chance had finally come, he just about blew it then she disappeared for three months. But Ned couldn't worry about Cookie's problems at the moment, he had a party to covertly plan before the final bell rang, and there was all year to help Cookie court Lisa.

"Plan party now, tips for Lisa later," Ned commanded, shoving Cookie down the hall.

Reluctantly, Cookie wandered away in some random direction supposedly to search out Moze, but not before shooting a few dirty looks over his shoulder Ned's direction.

When Cookie was out of sight, Ned tugged a paper from his backpack, the list of party preparations, and glanced over it.

_Flowers, orchestra, doves_…Ned scrunched his brow and wondered if maybe the doves were a little over the top. He pulled out a pen and scratched 'doves' off the list. Then nodding his approval, he tucked the list away and set off to find the Oboe twins.

0-0-0

As Cookie wandered down the hall, he grumbled to himself under his breath, "It's not fair. Ned already has Moze, and they're basically the perfect couple. So why is this – entirely unnecessary - party for her more important than getting me Lisa?"

It had been a long summer for Cookie. He had one amazing pizza "date" with the crush of his life just before the end of school, only for her to vanish into the woods at the very start of vacation without so much as an "I'll call you when I get back". Then, as if to make matters worse, his supposed two best friends were too preoccupied with one another to spend much time with him. They were lost, deep in an endless ocean of love and on the rare occasion they did surface for breath, giving Cookie a moment of their precious boyfriend-girlfriend time, things were just so painstakingly not the same.

Cookie sighed. In the past, he could hang out with Ned or he could hang out with Moze or he could hang out with both and it never seemed like such a big deal. But now, it felt like it was Ned and Moze or nothing. And while he would gladly take Ned and Moze over nothing, he missed the one on one time he used to have with each best friend.

After all, they're unique personalities balanced Cookie out.

Ned appealed to Cookie's masculine side. They would watch action movies, have unabashed discussions about bodily functions, and Ned would help Cookie out with his latest plans of dare-devilry by providing helpful tips such as, "Are you insane? You'll get yourself killed doing that."

Likewise, Moze satiated Cookie's feminine side – a well defined, highly tuned side of which he is very proud – by going with him to mani-pedis, clothes shopping, discussing with him the girly books that he loves so much, and, also, helping him on his latest plans of dare-devilry by providing helpful tips such as, "Are you insane? You'll get yourself killed doing that."

_Yeah_, Cookie decided,_ I definitely need time with just Ned or just Moze, not this…Med – er – Neze…hm…Noze, yeah that works, Noze creature they've become_.

Cookie rounded a corner than hastily doubled back; slamming against a wall of cold, blue lockers. He shuddered.

_Seniors_.

The corridor was lined with them. Large, beefy men with facial hair and thick, musky body odor, and statuesque women that wore high-heels and push-up bras and talked openly about their menstrual cycles. They would eat Cookie alive.

Speaking of things that were unfair.

Sometimes the school system felt like this never-ending cosmic joke. One year you're top of the food chain, one of the prestigious "upperclassmen", then the next, you're flung right back to the bottom link, looking up at larger and infinitely more frightening "upperclassmen" than you'd ever faced before. Cookie could have used Ned at that moment. Ned would have tips on how to handle seniors but he was too busy – _trying to impress his girlfriend_, Cookie scoffed – to be any help.

_If Moze went down that hall_, Cookie thought humorously to himself, _then I won't have to worry about keeping her distracted while Ned plans that party._

Cookie frowned, feeling slightly ashamed as he imagined Ned diligently planning this surprise party for Moze. Three months really was a long time for any school romance. Usually it marked the end of the line; as in, ladies and gentlemen, please keep all hands and feet inside the moving vehicle because we are now entering Splitsville. Yet, Ned and Moze still seemed to be going strong and, if those rings were any indication, then they were headed for the long haul.

_Here I am sad about what I lost, _Cookie mentally chastised himself, _when I should be excited for my best friends and what they gained_.

Admittedly, Cookie was happy when Ned and Moze finally – _finally –_ got together. He'd seen it coming long ago, of course, even if they hadn't. Nearly everyone had seen it coming. The two were just such a natural fit. And even though the three were all best friends, there had always been this deeper connection between Ned and Moze, something as indefinable as it was unmistakable.

_Just because things are different between those two and it sort of changes things between us three_, Cookie decided, _doesn't mean it's a bad thing_.

And maybe things weren't so different. They were all three still best friends. A smile warmed Cookie's features as he let his thoughts on the situation take a more optimistic route. Distracting Moze from the party plans for the day meant that he would be spending the entire day with Moze, and just Moze, which meant one on one best friend time. Cookie had recently finished the new Nicholas Sparks book, and he knew Moze had it on her summer reading list; maybe they could talk about how tragically the story ended, but how beautiful the two main characters' love was for one another.

As for Ned, after the first day of high school and relationship milestone party stress was over, and they moved into their day to day routines, Cookie felt certain things would settle back into a sort of normalcy. Ned promised to help with Lisa later, and Ned rarely broke his promises. He really was a good and loyal friend.

Cookie nodded to himself.

_I'm overreacting, _he thought,_ things are going to be fine with Ned, Moze, and me. We're the three musketeers…the three amigos, even. The Pinta, the Nina, and the Santa Maria – wait, those are boats. Oh well, I'm totally the Santa Maria, the biggest and most important of the three. Wait, what was I doing? Oh, got to find Moze._

Cookie blinked back to reality and nearly jumped back, startled to find two big, brown eyes glaring up at him, shimmering with concern and uncertainty.

"Cookie, what are you doing?" Moze demanded, arms folded over her chest, "You've been standing here staring blankly into space for the past five minutes."

"Uh…I was thinking…" Cookie faltered.

He furrowed his brow. He couldn't exactly tell her he'd been contemplating the dynamic of their three-way best friendship and how he felt that Ned and her newfound romantic relationship was messing up its synergy.

He placed his hands on his hips, jutted his chin out, and proudly proclaimed, "About boats."

"_O_-kay," Moze drawled and then, glancing along the corridor, anxiously asked, "Ned isn't around, is he?"

Cookie scowled. That stung. Two seconds of conversation and already she was looking for her boyfriend.

"Nope," Cookie answered, "He went to…" he scrambled for a lie, "…find his homeroom."

Moze didn't look convinced.

"He wants to make a better impression on his teachers this year," Cookie continued, his words growing increasingly weaker under Moze's scrutinizing glare, "It's one of his New Semester Goals…because his permanent record was destroyed last year, this year is like a blank slate for him…"

"So he's not around?" Moze pressed.

"No," Cookie answered.

Moze relaxed, breathing a sigh seemingly out of relief.

"Good," she mumbled and Cookie's brow shot up momentarily, then scrunched in confusion at that comment.

"Good?" he echoed.

Panic scurried across Moze's features. Hastily, she responded, "I mean…good for him. Wanting to do better…in school. I'm proud."

Cookie narrowed his eyes at Moze, examining her more closely. Admittedly, he couldn't read her as well as Ned, and he didn't know her moods or understand them as well as Ned, but he was part cyborg – a classification attributed to the fact he was always hooked up to a highly integrated computer system that streamed data through the lenses of his glasses – and the computer not only kept a comprehensive encyclopedia of body language which adapted to each individual person that he interacted with on a daily basis but it also took note and brought his attention to minor details in the body language of whomever he was speaking to.

At that moment, the computer was lighting up with information on Moze: a smile that didn't reach her slightly red-rimmed and more-glossy-than-usual eyes (indicative of sorrow, grief, depression, etc.), arms across her chest (indicative of guardedness – possibly lying, discomfort, low self-esteem, etc.), speaking in a slightly higher pitch (indicative of lying)…and the list went on.

Cookie tried to piece the information together. Moze was obviously lying about why she'd said "good" in reply to Ned not being around, but then, why else would she have said it? Unless, she really was glad that Ned wasn't around. Perhaps she was avoiding Ned. But why?

Cookie figured he could always ask.

"Are you avoiding Ned?" he questioned.

"No," Moze quickly snapped, then faltering, "Maybe…" and then meekly, "I don't know."

Cookie's mind reeled back to moments before and Ned's – at the time, seemingly irrational – concerns that Moze would dump him for a guy with a car. Then, he flash forwarded to his earlier thoughts about three-months typically being end of the line for most relationships.

"You're not going to break up with Ned, are you?" Cookie demanded, suddenly feeling defensive.

"What? No," Moze again quickly snapped, and then once more faltering, "Maybe…" and then, finally, meekly, "I don't know."

Cookie's jaw dropped. He couldn't grasp a single thought; they were all spinning out of control. Ned was planning a party to celebrate his and Moze three-month-a-versary, he had promise rings he spent all summer working for and…and…Moze was possibly planning on dumping him.

Ned would be crushed. How could Moze do that to him? Why would Moze do that to him? But more to the point, if Ned and Moze being together screwed up the dynamic of their three-way-best-friendship with Cookie, what would Ned and Moze breaking up do to it?

"Why would you break-up with Ned? I thought you two were the perfect couple?" Cookie cried.

Moze shot a nervous look around the hall, then lowered her eyes and wrung her hands (indicative of shame, remorse, grief, shyness, low self-esteem…).

"So did I," she murmured, her voice wavered slightly. She bit the corner of her cheek and rolled her eyes up to lock with Cookie's (indicative of honesty, interest, trust, etc.). For a moment, she seemed to be debating something. Then she shook her head and lowered her eyes again, "I can't talk about this right now. I gotta go."

Moze started away, then paused, and – as though a second thought – turned back and wrapped her arms around Cookie's midsection, sinking against him for a moment (indicative of caring, love, comfort, etc.). Hesitantly, Cookie returned the hug, placing his hands neutrally on her shoulders.

"Please don't tell Ned I said anything," Moze whispered.

"Uh…okay," Cookie stammered, now thoroughly confused.

Moze pulled away, straightened herself a little and turned, trudging down the hall. Cookie watched her retreat until she was out of sight, uncertain of how to sort out the jumbled mess in his mind. Moze wanted to break up with Ned. It seemed surreal, he had to of heard her wrong.

Then a thought occurred to Cookie. A horrible, terrible thought. But it all seemed to add up to that one, tragically, despicable thought: Moze lying, avoiding Ned, wanting to break up with Ned, that look she'd given Cookie, that hug…

"Oh no," Cookie gasped, face warping into what his friends aptly described as 'Cookie-face', "Moze likes me."

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><p><strong>Another Author Note: <strong>I'm trying out some new writing "techniques" with this story that I've never uesd before. Such as, third person POV with first person POV thoughts. Generally, they're types of things the characters would have said aloud in the show. Oh! And the three-month-a-versary thing...Moze and Ned got together in the field trip episode, which dropped a lot of hints that indicated it was an end-of-the-year field trip (ie. Sweeney's 'good-bye' to Ned in the tree...), so I just figured they'd started dating end of the year 8th grade, summer is roughly three months long, so their three-month could conceivably coincide with the first day back to school.

Also, things seem pretty easy-going right now, but hang in there, things are going to gradually move into darker places. I'm still trying to figure out exactly what buttons I'll need to push to break these three...and I think Moze is going to prove hardest, she's such a ridiculously strong character. I'm looking forward to the challenge this fanfic presents...introdcuing a goofy show like Ned's to some dramatic angst.

Thanks for reading...**Please Review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Author Note:** Yay! It looks like people are interested in this story: they're reading, alerting, and (best of all) reviewing. It makes me happy. Here's another chapter, hope you all like!

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><p>Chapter 3:<p>

_Tip: When you have a falling out with a friend it can seem like you'll never be on good terms again; but give it time and don't cut them from your life just yet, because eventually you'll put it all behind you and remember that you care about each other._

The first day of high school wasn't shaping up to be a good one for Ned. So far he had no classes with either Cookie or Moze, or any of his old friends from Polk for that matter. He'd been semi-prepared for such a situation, the high school had a larger student population than his middle school and the classes were scheduled oddly to accommodate the size, all he had to do was follow his own tip: Just make new friends, but he wasn't prepared for the split lunch period – it seemed he shared lunch with Cookie but not Moze.

Also, despite his permanent record having been destroyed in a paper-shredding accident the year before, his reputation still managed to precede him. It felt like every teacher he came in contact with was lining him up in their cross-hairs, readying to take him down at the first misstep.

Ned carried his tray of cafeteria lunch foods – mystery meat, gray goop, and green sludge – to where Cookie sat and sunk into the seat across the table.

"Moze doesn't have lunch this period, does she?" Ned immediately asked, figuring he ought to double-check before settling into party planning mode.

Cookie nearly jumped a foot from his seat at the question, his eyes suddenly wide, darting nervously around the cafeteria. He also looked a little pale, but that was probably because he'd been chewing the mystery meat moments before.

"I don't know. What makes you think I would know?" Cookie hastily demanded, "Shouldn't you know? You're her boyfriend, not me. I'm just her friend. Yup. Just friends. That's all we are and that's all we'll ever be and that's the way I like it."

Ned perked a brow and reminded Cookie, "I asked you to keep her distracted today while I planned our three-month-a-versary party."

"Oh. Right," Cookie mumbled, going back to eating his mystery meat – not something Ned would recommend, "I think she's in class."

"You _think_? As in, you don't _know_ exactly where she is?" Ned cried, flabbergasted. He gave Cookie _one_ job, "Part of distracting Moze is keeping an eye on her so she doesn't find out about the party. If you don't know where she is, then you're not keeping an eye on her and if you're not keeping an eye on her then she could sneak right up on me in the middle of party plans and find out about everything and the party will be ruined, I won't be able to give Moze the promise rings, she'll forget how perfect we are for each other and dump me!"

"Unless she dumps you before she finds out about the party," Cookie pointed out, and then realizing what he'd said, his jaw swung open, unhinged and eyes went wide, "Uh…I mean…"

"Why would you say that?" Ned demanded then he narrowed his eyes suspiciously and frantically asked, "Wait. Did Moze say something?"

"What? No," Cookie answered, but he didn't sound altogether honest, "Of course not...I was just…thinking up…things that would never happen. To prove a point. Moze isn't going to find out about the party. You'll give her your promise rings, and live happily ever after. Because the one thing I know for certain: Moze is not going to…uh…dump you. Ever. I'll make sure of it."

Ned raised a brow.

"You're acting weird," he commented.

"I'm not acting weird. Maybe you're the one acting weird," Cookie shot back, "You're stressed about this party, and you keep thinking Moze is going to dump you, it's got your head all crazy."

Ned sighed. He had been stressing a lot about the party. It didn't help that his first day of high school really stank. And it was true he had been worrying a lot about the possibility of Moze dumping him. It was just that dating her was different than dating any other girl. She had been his lifelong best friend. If things ended between them on uncertain terms…well…it made Ned queasy just thinking about it.

"I guess you're right," Ned relented, "Let's focus on the party for now. You said you would have a guest list ready by now?"

"Oh yeah. One moment, let me print it out."

Cookie removed the mouse from his pocket that controlled his integrative computer system and jiggled the joystick a bit, then pressed a few buttons. His pants started to vibrate and making whirring noises.

Ned furrowed his brow.

"I was kind of hoping you'd get rid of the printer-pants by high school," he quietly commented.

Out of the back hem of his jeans, Cookie removed a sheet of paper and handed it over. Ned grinned, scanning the list, impressed. A lot of kids had RSVP'd for the party, including…

"_Suzie Crabgrass_?" Ned read aloud, aghast. He lowered the sheet and glared at Cookie, saying, "How could you send an invite to Suzie Crabgrass? I chose Moze over her last year and now she hates me!"

"Oh…um…uh…." Cookie ran a hand nervously over the back of his neck. "I don't know how she got an invite…but I'm sure she doesn't hate you…"

"She signed my yearbook, 'Hey Ned, have a great summer. By the way, I hate you. Take care, Suzie Crabgrass'," Ned cried. He looked to the list again, and his draw dropped, "Loomer and Missy Meany are on this list too! Cookie, what did you do?"

"I don't know. Let me see," Cookie stammered sheepishly. He fumbled with his mouse and then his expression morphed into Cookie-face.

"What's with Cookie-face?" Ned demanded, flying right into panic-mode again for the umpteenth time that day.

"I meant to send the invite to all our friends from eighth grade," Cookie moaned explanation, "But I accidentally sent them to our entire eighth grade class!"

Ned twitched involuntarily, his eyes bugging out slightly.

"You…_what_?" he hissed. He grabbed hold of Cookie's shoulders and gave them a shake, "Some of the people on this list would love nothing more than to see me and Moze torn apart!" He buried his face in a hand, "And a lot of them would have no problem ruining the surprise for Moze."

"What do we do?" Cookie questioned.

"I need to think…" Ned said, rolling his eyes up to the ceiling as the gears clicked away thoughts in his head. Finally, he snapped his fingers and decided, "I'll find the kids on this list that would want to destroy this party, and me and Moze's relationship and tell them the party's been cancelled. They can't try to spoil something if they think it's no longer going to happen. You find Moze and keep her from talking to any of them, and for crying out loud, Cookie, keep an eye on her! Alright, let's split up."

"Right," Cookie chirped acknowledgement. Ned hopped up and marched away, Cookie watching his friend's departure a moment. He grimaced and when Ned was out of earshot, muttered, "And I have to figure out how to tell Moze I only like her as a friend before she decides to break up with Ned."

-0-0-0-

After the first few class periods, Moze has taken up residency in the second floor girls' bathroom, third stall. She passed third period reading the stall graffiti; apparently Moze's old almost-boyfriend, Jock Goldman, ranked high on the freshman hottie list a couple years before. He would be a junior that year. She smiled inwardly at the thought of him finding out she and Ned were now dating. The last time she'd seen Jock was at the 'Around the World Dance' where he'd mistakenly believed she was using him to make Ned jealous, a belief cemented when Ned then accidentally kissed her instead of his date that evening. Reflecting back, she hadn't been very heartbroken over the loss; despite Jock's popularity and attractiveness.

In fact, she never felt all that heartbroken when it came to any of her old 'flames'. They just didn't matter all that much, because after all was said and done, she still had Ned.

Moze sighed and leaned heavily against the stall door. It protested under her weight. She ran a fingertip along the edge of her eyelid, smearing forming tears. She spent half-a-period and all of lunch crying and she had firmly decided she wouldn't do it anymore. She wrapped her arms around herself and closed her eyes. She hated feeling all worked up; being a sappy, emotional girl just wasn't her thing.

Another bell rang and Moze checked her watch. Two more class periods to go. She ran a hand over her face, dampening her cheeks with smudged unshed tears, and decided she ought to attempt finishing up the day's last classes. She heard a shuffle of girls entering the restroom, freshening up before their next class, and waited, listening to them chatter happily, carefree. She recognized some voices; Claire Sawyer and Lisa Zemo.

"Are you going to the party tonight?" Claire was asking.

_Party?_ Moze furrowed her brow. She hadn't heard about a party.

"Yeah, I can't wait. It'll be fun to see everyone from last year. And it's so sweet of Ned," Lisa replied, "To do this for…"

The door closed behind the two girls, cutting off the rest of their conversation. Other girls followed until finally the bathroom was silent. Moze waited another few seconds, to be certain she was entirely alone, before leaving the stall. She nearly ran head first into a petite dark-haired girl. They locked eyes, a sneer on the other girl's lip.

"Mosely," she snarled greeting.

All too aware of her tear-streaked face, Moze lowered her eyes, cheeks blistering red.

She muttered disinterestedly, "Hey, Suzie."

Then she maneuvered past towards the sink, feeling Suzie's confused, slightly concerned eyes watching her. She turned on the faucet and splashed some cold water into her face.

"Are you okay?" Suzie questioned tentatively.

Moze remained silent, grabbing a sheet of brown paper towel and dabbed her face dry. She and Suzie had been arch-enemies from the fourth grade when Suzie had moved into town leading up to the end of sixth grade, competing maliciously in all things. Suzie had also been Ned's dream girl, his ultimate crush, since the fourth grade.

Over the course of seventh grade, determined to find a best friend that wasn't a boy and realizing how much she and Suzie had in common, the two became best friends and in the eighth grade Suzie started dating Ned.

Halfway through eighth grade Suzie moved away, and in the process of getting over her, Ned and Moze realized they had feelings for one another, but before they could act on those feelings, Suzie moved back. At that time, it seemed Ned and Suzie would rekindle their romance and that Ned and Moze would never, ever, be.

Then, during the end of year eighth grade field trip, Ned chose Moze over Suzie.

Since then, and despite Moze's best efforts to soothe Suzie's hurt feelings over the entire ordeal, things had returned to pre-seventh grade between the two girls. Moze was disappointed, but she had known it was inevitable. The strongest of friendships couldn't survive the battle-for-a-boy, so one forged out of hate over the course of a year and a half or so didn't stand a chance.

Needless to say, Suzie felt like the last person on earth Moze should talk to about her current problem. And yet…

"Are you and Ned fighting?" Suzie pressed, her tone suggesting nothing but that of a worried friend and maybe a little agitation, "I kind of noticed you and him haven't been in the same hall all day. Everyone has kind of noticed. It isn't like you two at all. You guys didn't break up did you?"

Yet, that seemed like the very reason Moze could talk to her.

"No…we aren't fighting," Moze started, turning to face Suzie and feeling the tears coming again, "But something did happen and…" she took a deep, steadying breath, "And I think we might break up…" A stray tear slipped down her cheek and she swiped at it angrily, "…we won't have any choice…but…to break up…"

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><p><strong>Last note<strong>: As a forewarning, I kind of decided I won't be spending much time proofing this story (I barely have the time to write it...). I just want to pump it out as quick as possible. I apologize in advance for all typos and grammatical mistakes that I know I will make...

Anyhoo, please let me know what you think!


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